Internship Experiences

The Department of Communication Studies believes experiences that take students outside the traditional classroom are beneficial. Therefore, the department offers internship credit for juniors and seniors.

An internship (CMN 4275) is usually an off-campus experience, involving activities which are professional in nature. Some internships may be paid, but many are not. Whether a student is paid or not has no impact on approval or credit for the student.

**Please note: CMN 4275 is an academic course. This means that tuition is charged for each credit hour for which you are enrolled. For further information on tuition, see the Financial Aid website, http://www.eiu.edu/finaid/cost.php.

Qualifications

To enroll in an internship course, the student must meet the following qualifications:

Junior or senior standing.

GPA of at least 2.75 overall or 3.00 in the major.

Completion of at least 12 hours of Communication Studies courses.

Limitations

A student may count a maximum of six hours of internship or practicum credit toward the Communication Studies major. A student may count a maximum of 12 hours of internship or practicum credit toward the total hours needed for graduation.

Credit

One hour of internship credit may be earned for every 40 hours worked. For example, a student signing up for three hours of credit needs to work at least 120 total hours.

Grading

Internship (CMN 4275) is graded on a credit/no credit basis. The final grade in the course does not affect the student's grade point average. Each student is evaluated by his/her on-site supervisor, as well as the department's internship coordinator. Participation alone does not warrant a grade of CR for the course.

Process

It is the responsibility of the student to identify and secure his/her internship. After you have arranged an internship, you need to meet with the internship coordinator to complete three tasks:

After your application has been approved by the Internship Coordinator, you will receive the Internship Contract. Fill out the contract and return it to commstudies@eiu.edu.

You will be registered for internship hours. Always check your schedule on PAWS before the academic term begins to make sure you are registered for the correct courses and the correct number of hours.

While completing an internship, you should keep a daily log. Each week, submit your log to the drop box in Desire2 Learn. You are encouraged to keep a portfolio of work samples to supplement the logs. The exact nature of the portfolio will depend on the nature of the internship.

At the end of the internship, you are required to write a final report and submit it to the drop box in Desire2Learn. A final evaluation form will be sent to your supervisor. Your grade will be based upon this evaluation, the content of your logs and the final report.

Students present their internship experiences at Communication Day 2017.

Internship Examples

Communication Studies students have completed internships at a variety of organizations both in and out of state. Examples include:

Disney College Program (Orlando, Florida)

American Red Cross (Springfield, Illinois)

University of Dreams (San Diego)

Bunim Murray Productions (Van Nuys, California)

Eastern Musical Festival (Greensboro, North Carolina)

Total Quality Logistics (Chicago)

New Orleans Saints (New Orleans)

CMT Country Music Television (Nashville, Tennessee)

City of Effingham Convention and Visitors Bureau (Effingham)

Country Financial (Libertyville, Illinois)

Internship Coordinator

For more information about internship credit, contact Dr. Angela Jacobs, Internship Coordinator, at 217-581-2020 or asjacobs@eiu.edu.